Camelot's Pastries
by Nika Volkov
Summary: Merlin had an issue. A very serious problem that wasn't his fault, okay! A bad one. One that's gonna get him fired. Because he did something bad and now he has to face the scariest man on earth. His boss: Uther Pendragon


It wasn't his fault. Definitely not his fault. Merlin had been interning at Pendragon & co. for about a year when he finally gave in to temptation.

His job was to help the secretary of the CEO with certain unimportant tasks. It was one of the closest positions to the owner of the company, Uther Pendragon. Merlin was a bit undecided on how he felt about the man's moral values but had to admit, the man was extremely handsome.

The 'unimportant tasks' that he was assigned were actually much more important than others realized. Getting Mr. Pendragon his coffee and breakfast in the morning. Black with a little sugar and an extravagant sandwich from a fancy deli that used ingredients that Merlin couldn't pronounce, let alone afford. Merlin was also required to arrange reservations for Mr. Pendragon's lunch and dinner if he was eating out - which he almost always was- or arranging for a cook to show up at the man's two story penthouse. And, his most important duty of all: getting Mr. Pendragon his end-of-the-week sweets from Camelot's Pastries.

Camelot's Pastries was a pastry shop that Uther Pendragon ordered from religiously. It was strange. The man didn't eat anything sweet until his order arrived every Friday evening, at six on the dot when most of his employees - except his secretaries - had left the office.

Every week Camelot Pastries would send a box of their newest treats to their most loyal customer. These delectable sweets were made with the most heavenly ingredients because of course Uther Pendragon didn't accept anything but the best. The box always smelled enthralling. And it was his secretary's job to make sure the box arrived safely to Mr. Pendragon's hands.

Many people around the office would consider this an 'unimportant task'. They were mistaken. They probably had never seen their boss when someone had messed up his breakfast or his lunch or his dinner. And they especially hadn't seen Uther Pendragon when he didn't get his Friday sweets. Mostly because it had only happened once many years ago and that secretary's career was completely ruined.

But Merlin had an issue. A very serious problem that wasn't his fault, okay! He had a sweet tooth. A bad one. And every week on Friday he had to stop himself from opening the delicious looking box and devouring all the sweets that didn't belong to him. For an entire year he had to endure! The only thing that kept him from opening pandora's box was that he never actually touched the box.

Uther's actual secretary did all the handling. And also the fact that if he stole the sweets his life would be ruined. But mostly because he never touched the box. He resisted though, so it was okay. Until one day it wasn't. Until one Friday Mr. Pendragon's secretary called in sick. Merlin was going to have to spend approximately twenty minutes with this box resisting the urge to open it.

He thought he could do it. He really thought he could. It wasn't his fault that he failed. Now Merlin was sitting in his car outside the Pendragon building with an empty Camelot's Pastries box in the passenger seat, contemplating his survival rates. They were pretty dismal.

Merlin knew he had to go in and face Mr. Pendragon. Or he could go home and forget about ever coming back because he would surely be fired. He wanted to take the latter option, but the thought of telling his mom why he had been fired and why he couldn't send money to help with the bills anymore was soul crushing.

Maybe Mr. Pendragon wouldn't notice. Right? It's not as if the man had been getting the box and the same time of week for years. Maybe he'll forget just this one convenient time? Yeah, no, Merlin was screwed.

He took a deep breath and got out of the car and left the box behind. He made his way to the top floor where his desk and Mr. Pendragon's office were. He hoped that Uther was in a meeting but nope, there he was, sitting at his desk waiting for pastries that were never going to arrive. Damn it. Merlin made it to his desk.

_Please don't notice me. Please don't notice me. Please don't notice...Oh shit he's headed my way!_

Merlin quickly ducked his head down to avoid eye contact but to zero avail.

"You there. Merlin? Where's my delivery from Camelot's Pastries?"

Merlin opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. Lie? Truth? Lie? Truth? What to do?

Uther Pendragon narrowed his eyes. "My office now."

_Shit._

Once Merlin had followed his boss into the imposing office and closed the door, Uther leaned against his desk and waited for the justification.

"It wasn't my fault! I resisted for a year. An entire year. I didn't touch that box ever until today. But they smelled and looked so delicious I couldn't help it, they were just too good. Blame it on my sweet tooth! It was an impulse. I'm honestly sorry! It's just that the box- it's so pretty- the chocolates looked so good. I know I wasn't supposed to. Oh god I'm gonna be fired I know it I might as well go pack my things and leave. I'm so so sorry."

By the time Merlin was done rambling his voice was so low it was barely understandable. A few moments passed by.

"So, you ate my sweets?"

Merlin nodded in shame.

"All of them?"

Another nod. Mr. Pendragon had a contemplative look on his face.

"You won't be handling the box next time. Get back to your desk." Uther said without any bite.

Merlin hesitated, "Next time? I'm sorry...Am I fired?"

"No."

"Oh...Okay…" Merlin made it back to his desk and wondered how in the hell he had made it out alive. Maybe he had been overestimating the value of the box to Mr. Pendragon? Merlin shook his head and kept on working. He wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth afterall.

A week later Merlin received a delivery to his apartment. It was a box from Camelot's Pastries with a note that read:

_Merlin, _

_I've been wondering how to ask you out for a few months now. I do believe last week gave me an opening. I'd like to invite you for dinner and then to Camelot's Pastries for dessert. I'm glad you and I have something in common. Call me. _

_Uther Pendragon._

Merlin immediately texted his boss.

**Thank you for the box, it was a **_**sweet **_**gesture! :D I'd love to go out on a date with you!**

Back at the office Uther shook his head, smiled at the message, and counted himself lucky.


End file.
